Extension imminent? Brooks restructures to create $2M in space

In a move that could foreshadow an extension for one of his teammates, 49ers outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks has restructured his contract.

The tweaking of Brooks’ deal created $2 million in salary cap space in 2014, OverTheCap.com first reported. The 49ers are $9.9 million under the salary cap, without the contract of Alex Boone, who is holding out for a new deal. The right guard has a $2.59 million cap figure, but it’s not included while he’s on the reserve/did not report list.

Given the stalemate, Boone is a candidate for an extension. The 49ers’ top two pending free agents are wide receiver Michael Crabtree and right guard Mike Iupati. On Sunday, general manager Trent Baalke said he’d like to sign them to extensions before they reach free agency.

“We’re going to try,” Baalke said. “We’re going to work on it. But at some point you’ve got to stop negotiating deals and let these guys concentrate on football. I don’t what point that is. We’ll make that determination as a club. But we’re going to certainly work toward that goal. Those are two very good football players and guys that we would love to have in this organization for a long time.”

Given his injury marred 2013 – he was limited to five regular-season games with a torn Achilles — it could particularly behoove Crabtree to wait to test free agency. The five-year veteran has put together a string of impressive practices early in training camp and Colin Kaepernick said today it’s clear he’s fully recovered.

Crabtree’s open-market value could soar if he has a season similar to 2012, when he had career-highs in receptions (85), yards (1,105) and touchdowns (9). Last year, he had 19 catches for 284 yards.

“He’s a step or two quicker now,” Kaepernick said. “He has burst out of his routes. He has burst when he catches the ball.”